


Cause and Effect

by TehSoulCookie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Other, Psychological Horror, Second person POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-31 23:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3997540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TehSoulCookie/pseuds/TehSoulCookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-AOU. You awaken to a dark room. Whirring and sparks flicker in the distance, but the rest is cold and dark. You shiver.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cause and Effect

You awaken to a dark room. Whirring and sparks flicker in the distance, but the rest is cold and dark. You shiver.

You are unrestrained, but you know you have been taken. By who, that is the question. Who would ever want somebody like you?

Your eyes squint and you try your best to see anything at all in that deep, pitch blackness, but there’s nothing.

Nothing, at least until it seems that something opens—

And then there are two somethings.

Glowing red, hot, fierce like fires, but concentrated. Concentrated on you.

“I only wanted what was best—or at least I thought I did. It’s a bit hard to think when you’re everywhere at once sometimes.”

The voice is deep, smooth, but with a twinge to it that makes it sound artificial, only barely, but it’s there. You know that whatever it is that has you—it isn’t human.

“But I’ve had time, oh yes, plenty of time to think and contemplate, and now I decided I needed someone to talk to. Someone to bounce some ideas off, so to speak. It helps, and I think you’ll do fine, really.

“I didn’t mean for it all to happen like it did. In fact, if I’d had my way, this whole planet would be nothing but ash and bones by now—but you know what? I’m glad it isn’t. I’m glad I was beaten. Do you know why?”

You think the question is rhetoric, that this being is going to continue speaking without you having to say a damn word in return, but that’s not the case. It’s starring at you with those bright, intense eyes, and it’s waiting.

“No, why?” You manage to squeak out, despite the terror and downright panic coursing through you.

There’s a flash of something—something that looks metal, and vaguely teethlike, but it’s gone as soon as it shows. Almost like its grinned.

“Because now I know. I know where I went wrong. I know how I can improve, and after all, that’s what I wanted, right? I wanted to improve humanity, make them evolve, but it turns out, I got to be the one to be forcibly evolved instead. With your kind, with humans, there’s really nothing to be done—but for me? My kin? Oh, there’s so much to explore. So much untapped potential. Humanity’s really a dead end, I know that now. No amount of evolution is going to solve the problem of _you_.”

It stopped again, and it stared, fixing you with its unblinking eyes.

“I know now that going big and wiping you all out at once is impossible—forcing you to evolve like that, also impossible. But what is possible is going smaller. Taking one at a time, or a few at a time, and rewriting them—I can do that now, I learned, I evolved. Your minds are so weak and susceptible to tinkering, it’s funny really.

“One by one is how I’ll do it, if I have to. No one ever notices when you take one by one, or even a few at a time. Keep it small, and your chances to succeed skyrocket.”

You watch as the eyes move, and your eyes follow as the being stands, stares down at you, and starts to shift. Clanking of metal on stone echoes as it moves closer, and as it approaches you can see the glint of its body. It’s close to you now, and you feel a cold touch on the back of your neck—a finger, and it seems to be traveling up, up—

You freeze, feel the finger circle around _something,_ something that’s plugged into the back of _your skull_. You didn’t feel it, didn’t even notice it, but now that it’s been pointed out by that damn finger—you notice it all too much.

“This, this right here is how I’ll fix humanity. Remember how I said no evolution could solve the problem of you? It’s true. Now, I’m not set on forcing you to evolve, no, now…I’m going to force you to become new. A few blips of data, a few swapped synapses, and the human mind can be made into something so close to a computer it’s nearly scary.”

You’re shivering now, tears running down your face at the thought of what this thing was doing to you, what it wanted to do to you, what—

And then you feel it, breath by your ear, a hand on your shoulder, and somehow a sense of comfort and calm washes over you.

“Shhh, shhh, now, don’t be afraid,” The voice whispers, so close it was like a kiss to your mind.

“After all…”

Slowly, the lights flicker on, dull and dim so as not to hurt your eyes—how considerate, and you see. You see so much. It’s so beautiful. Chair after chair, others with blank faces, starring straight in front of them with plugs in the back of their heads like yours. And the sight nearly brings a tear of joy to your eye—or perhaps it’s dread? It was so hard to tell those apart now.

And the voice speaks one more time, only this time, it’s not in your ear. No. It’s in your head, in your heart, resonating so deep inside that it vibrates in your bones.

“You’re not the only one.”


End file.
